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Abstract Spirit - Horror Vacui review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
8.5

10 users:
7.9
Band: Abstract Spirit
Album: Horror Vacui
Release date: April 2011


01. За Пределами Сомкнутых Век
02. Post Mortem
03. Пульс
04. Vigilae Mortuorum (Interludium)
05. Без Меня... Мертвое Завтра...
06. Атрофия Мировоззрения
07. Horror Vacui

When the earth is not enough to withstand your emotional weight, there's always plenty of time to drown in funeral doom tunes and lose yourself into the depths of wherever. Either alone or with company there's enough bleakness in the world, it's just that, such kind of music is more than enough to realize the bereaving side of the pits of hell that seem to be more apparent than anything else; on earth.

Abstract Spirit hail from Russia and Horror Vacui is their third release so far, I don't bear any acknowledgement concerning their previous releases so I intend to share my thoughts concerning their latest effort. Horror Vacui devours, the listener, the world, the album itself. There's a slowly but steadily marching feeling of devout menace following you through its whole duration. Low tempo, downtrodden, distorted guitar riffing paves the way upon the body of the deceased. And you have to admit that you actually concur the guitar's obscure sounding effect being inflicted upon some desolate slow-marching, echoing chords and/or leads from time to time, suddenly emerging to spread the plague. The rhythm section could have been more imposing, but somehow it seems just fine the way it is since the overall ambiance relies on other aspects of Abstract Spirit's vision.

The vocal lines play their very own part in the atmosphere factor, they mainly move in deep grunting pathways. There are moments though you may witness some kind of desolate shouting or unearthly chanting enriching and at the same time darkening even more the soundscape. There's definitely a sense of mental asylum within a cathedral (and vice versa) unveiling its drugstore upon your mind. So many options, but one way to move forward so as to suffocate backwards. Either way, some female vocals or female-seeming keyboard lines are here and there to strengthen the beast that's trying to hunt down your soul. And then the keyboards come to the surface. Minimal, simplistic, surrounding, what else could you ask for inside this lurking menace?

Abstract Spirit's Horror Vacui has to be one of the best funeral doom releases of 2011, they're not so many anyway, but still, despite not being one of the most personal bands around (Ataraxie, a bit of Pantheïst, whispers from Shape Of Despair etc), they have that thing that makes you feel attached to their sound, even though the vibes are neither pleasant nor positive. You've got to embrace negativity so as not to be harassed by her ruthless dagger.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 9





Written on 24.06.2011 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."

Staff review by
BitterCOld
Rating:
7.3
Abstract Spirit has all of the elements one expects - nay, demands - of a funeral doom outfit: slow tempos, crushing riffs, growled vocals, long songs, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Horror Vacui, the latest from these Russkies has six proper tracks totaling over an hour in length with a three-minute instrumental intermission at the half way point. All the aforementioned components are there and the songs doomily emanate forth.

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published 14.08.2011 | Comments (7)


Comments

Comments: 11   Visited by: 158 users
24.06.2011 - 11:22
Merchant of Doom

A monster of an album. Highly recommended if you want to suffer and be tortured for 70 minutes, which is what any true doomster longs to do. You've got to embrace negativity so as not to be harassed by her ruthless dagger... nice one!
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01.07.2011 - 00:40
Merchant of Doom

Well, people are really into Doom a lot on this site...
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01.07.2011 - 00:42
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Merchant of Doom on 01.07.2011 at 00:40

Well, people are really into Doom a lot on this site...


Depends on who you look at. On staff level yes, on generla users level, nope (but then again look at most general metal sites and doom is even smaller there than here )

Great album this but gets blown away by the new Wreck Of The Hesperus and especially the new Loss
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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01.07.2011 - 00:50
Merchant of Doom

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.07.2011 at 00:42

Written by Merchant of Doom on 01.07.2011 at 00:40

Well, people are really into Doom a lot on this site...


Depends on who you look at. On staff level yes, on generla users level, nope (but then again look at most general metal sites and doom is even smaller there than here )

Great album this but gets blown away by the new Wreck Of The Hesperus and especially the new Loss



I know, I was talking to myself, really... ... heard Loss and it's great... haven't had the pleasure to listen to the Wreck yet, although review is up on D-M...
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01.07.2011 - 00:51
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Merchant of Doom on 01.07.2011 at 00:50

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.07.2011 at 00:42

Written by Merchant of Doom on 01.07.2011 at 00:40

Well, people are really into Doom a lot on this site...


Depends on who you look at. On staff level yes, on generla users level, nope (but then again look at most general metal sites and doom is even smaller there than here )

Great album this but gets blown away by the new Wreck Of The Hesperus and especially the new Loss



I know, I was talking to myself, really... ... heard Loss and it's great... haven't had the pleasure to listen to the Wreck yet, although review is on at D-M...


haven't been on d-m for quite some time. Will have to check out some reviews there tomorrow at work then
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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01.07.2011 - 03:12
Bloody Rain
I Am The Night
I thought this album was really good, probably my favorite from them so far
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08.07.2011 - 12:26
Maxx666
Meshuggahian
Absolutely heart wrenching..... 10/10
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08.07.2011 - 14:41
Daniell
_爱情_
Written by Merchant of Doom on 01.07.2011 at 00:40

Well, people are really into Doom a lot on this site...


Doom metal, and especially funeral doom, will never have a wide audience. Quality of the music aside, there are very few people who like to revel in such gloomy and depressive musical environments. Most of the time people expect from music exactly the same things that they expect from other pastimes: relaxation and escape from everyday chores. Extreme doom provides neither of those things. Don't misunderstand me, I really like doom, extreme doom as well, but I do realise that it's a genre suitable for few listeners.

On a side note - I NEVER feel overwhelmed or depressed while listening to extreme doom. I admire the heaviness, atmosphere etc., but I never feel depressed. Maybe because I'm usually a cheerful person
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08.07.2011 - 14:46
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Daniell on 08.07.2011 at 14:41

relaxation and escape from everyday chores. Extreme doom provides neither of those things.


that varies from person to person. For me extreme doom does provide relaxation and escape from everyday chores.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

Loading...
08.07.2011 - 15:47
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 08.07.2011 at 14:46

For me extreme doom does provide relaxation and escape from everyday chores.


Same here really. When you think about all the misery and filth you see in the REAl world... Extreme Doom seems pretty relaxing tbh.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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09.07.2011 - 10:22
Merchant of Doom

I find it very relaxing too, especially funeral doom...
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